Pastor Dan Chun

Rev. Dan Chun has been the First Prez. Senior Pastor since 1994. Dan received his M.Div. and D.Min. degrees from Fuller Theological Seminary, M.A. from Univ. of Southern California in Cinema Production from the School of Performing Arts, and a B.S. in Communications from Lewis and Clark College, Portland, Oregon. He is an award winning filmmaker.

Pastor Dan previously was an Associate Pastor at Menlo Park Presbyterian Church (SF Bay Area) from 1985 to 1994 and prior to that, was an Associate Pastor at First Prez Honolulu from 1980 to 1985. He is the co-founder and chairman of the board of Hawaiian Islands Ministries (HIM) that has been in existence since 1983. HIM trains thousands of church leaders in Hawaii and in the San Francisco Bay Area. He has been privileged to speak at many national Christian conferences, including four years of Promise Keepers stadium events. He also spoke at Oxbridge ’98 at Oxford University in England, a conference marking the centennial anniversary of author and theologian C.S. Lewis’ birth.

He and his wife Pam have three children.

What brought you to FPC? A UCC pastor friend told me to apply in 1980.

What is the most rewarding part of your ministry? People finding fulfillment in God and His ministry.

Describe a typical day in your ministry. I make my plans and then there are tons of divine interruptions.

What are your passions? Helping to heal the hurting.

How did you become a Christian? My sister shared with me the Four Spiritual Laws.

How did you grow spiritually during your early years as a Christian? I had a voracious appetite to read Christian books and hear as many Christian speakers and musicians as possible.

What is the most challenging part of your ministry? Time management.

Do you have a favorite passage of Scripture? John 16:33: “I have said this to you, so that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take courage; I have overcome the world!”

Favorite book of the Bible? Genesis.

Favorite Christian author or books? C.S. Lewis, Philip Yancey, and Dallas Willard.

How did you become involved in full-time ministry? Was never part of my plans. God surprised me.

What is the best advice you’ve ever received about being in ministry? Listen more than talk.

Any missions trips you can tell us about? Time I went to Mexico to make a film on a poor section in the mountains. Was offered raisin soup by the peasants but then as I got closer the raisins took off into the air. They weren’t raisins, they were flies. I ate it anyway so my hosts would not be offended. I lived to tell the story.

What is one truth of life that you can share? Jesus is Lord.

If you could have dinner with a famous person, living or dead, who would it be? Ted Koppel, Andrew Lloyd Weber, Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King Jr., and C.S. Lewis.

What do you daydream about? Travelling the World.

Favorite Movie, TV show, Broadway play? 7 Samurai, The Avengers, Les Miserables and Man of La Mancha.

Favorite book or author? John Grisham.

McDonald’s or Plate Lunch? L&L Barbecue Beef Mini Plate w/ tossed salad.

Place you haven’t been you would most like to visit? France.

Favorite food? Chinese.

Tell us about your background. 4th generation Chinese born in Hawaii.

Something about yourself most people don’t know? Where I accepted Christ.

What are your hobbies? Tennis, my family.

What are your passions? My family.

What would you do for another career? Work with international students.

What do you like most about Hawaii? The people.

Dislike? Traffic.

Best advice you ever received? Don’t judge people.

Most influential person in your life? Mom and Dad.

What do you do to relax? Be with the family in a nice hotel, like Koele Lodge.

One word that describes you: Hmmm?

If I won one million dollars, I would: Be stunned and then thank God.

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